Advertisement

Eala MPs visit port of Mombasa

Monday February 12 2018
eala a

East African Legislative Assembly members ahead of a sitting at the Rwanda Parliament hall on March 7, 2017. PHOTO | CYRIL NDEGEYA | NMG

By MOHAMED AHMED

The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) has constituted two teams to look at the workings of the region’s transport corridors.

The two teams are touring the region’s ports and other Customs stations on the Northern and Central Corridors to assess operations.

The Northern Corridor team, led by Mathias Kasamba, will cover the Mombasa port, the Kenya Revenue Authority and Holili-Taveta, Namanga and Malaba borders.

Speaking in Mombasa, the MPs raised concerns over the existence of non-tariff barriers that continue stifle business in the region.

Mr Kasamba noted that some of the barriers are uncalled for, citing delays at border points, road blocks and weigh bridges.

“The failure to implement protocols, laws and agreed decisions are among challenges that we are facing.

Advertisement

“We have now resolved to keenly monitor what we have agreed on,” said Mr Kasamba told journalists on Monday after a meeting with the Kenya Ports Authority management at the Mombasa Port.

Co-operation between ports

Mr Kasamba said Eala wants Kenyan and Tanzanian ports to work together to promote business in the region.

“We hope that our coming here is going to enhance the co-operation between the ports of Dar es Salaam and Mombasa. Much as they both serve the East African Community, there are areas where they can co-operate and hasten importation and exportation of goods,” said Mr Kasamba.

“The tour is important for us to appreciate the operations of EAC institutions and agencies that provide services, and for us to receive feedback and recommendations from citizens on their perceptions of integration efforts,” he said.

He said the EAC will speedily attain the pillars of integration if restrictive regulations and internal controls on goods moving between the partner states are eliminated.

“The region signed the Monetary Union Protocol in 2013. While the establishment of a single currency is based on a 10 year-roadmap of the union, it is vital for partner states to stay on course when it comes to the deliverables of the pillar,” he said.

He said two key Bills, The EAC Monetary Institute Bill 2018 and the EAC Statistics Bill 2018 — which are expected to anchor the protocols -- have sailed through the First Reading.

Related stories

Advertisement